[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
During mental projection and astral projection you
are able to travel through solid objects, but are not able
to act directly upon them or to move them (if they are in
the physical world). This is not true during etheric
projection. Whether it is simply subconscious expectation,
or whether it is a true etheric projection which in theory
means that part of your physical body has been relocated
with your projection (the etheric or vital part) may be
difficult to determine. Etheric projections generally travel
at or very near the physical world. There are even cases
reported (very, very rare ones) in which the entire physical
body is transferred to another location (teleportation), or
cases in which the physical body exists and acts in two
separate places at once (bilocation)!
But our primary interest is astral projection
proper, and mental projection to a lesser extent. Astral and
mental projection are not confined to the physical world.
Travel in the mental and astral realms is feasible, and
often preferred. Nor are astral and mental projection
Get any book for free on: www.Abika.com
THE BASICS OF MAGICK 32
restricted to the realm of the earth (you could even go to
the moon and planets).
STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS
The electrical activity of the brain has been
observed and classified with EEG (electroencephalograph)
equipment; signals picked up from the scalp by electrodes,
then filtered and amplified, drive a graph recorder. Brain
activity has been found to produce specific ranges for
certain basic states of consciousness, as indicated in 'hz'
(hertz, or cycles/vibrations per second):
delta -- 0.2 to 3.5 hz (deep sleep, trance state),
theta -- 3.5 to 7.5 hz (day dreaming, memory),
alpha -- 7.5 to 13 hz (tranquility, heightened
awareness, meditation),
beta -- 13 to 28 hz (tension, 'normal'
consciousness).
As you can see, some form of physical relaxation is implied
in the alpha, theta, and delta consciousness. These states
are in fact reached through deep breathing, hypnosis, and
other relaxation techniques. OOBE occurs during these
states, and delta is probably the most important for it.
The problem is really, as we have said, one of maintaining
mental awareness and alertness while experienceing these
altered states. Experimental subjects hooked to an EEG do
not show a discrete change from drowsy to sleep; it is very
gradual.
At the threshold between sleep and waking
consciousness is a drowsy condition known as the hypnogogic
state. OOBE seems to occur during this state, or a
variant of it. By careful control of the hypnogogic state
(not going beyond it) it is possible to enter OOBE directly.
BASIC TECHNIQUES
Most methods of astral projection are methods of
conditioning. Some form of trance or altered consciousness
is always involved. No one ever projects consciously while
fully awake (some may think that they do). Although there
are many techniques used to produce an astral projection,
they boil down to nine of them. They all sort of overlap.
1) Diet -- Certain dietary practices may aid in OOBE,
especially at first. These include fasting, vegitarianism,
and in general the eating of 'light' foods as discussed in a
a previous lesson. Carrots and raw eggs are thought to be
especially beneficial, but all nuts are to be avoided.
Over-eating should be avoided. And no food should be eaten
just before an OOBE attempt. If you intend to practice
during sleep, for example, allow 2 to 4 hours of no food or
drink (except water) before bedtime. In general, we see here
the same kind of dietary restrictions advocated for
kundalini yoga.
2) Progressive muscular relaxation -- This is one
of the basic methods used in hypnosis and self-hypnosis.
Get any book for free on: www.Abika.com
THE BASICS OF MAGICK 33
Physical relaxation can assist one in attaining the
requisite trance state. These techniques involve beginning
at the toes and tensing, then relaxing the muscles,
progressively up the entire body.
3) Yoga and breath -- Yoga, mantra, and breathing
exercises similarly aim at physical relaxation. The practice
of kundalini yoga is particularly relevant, since it is
concerned with altered consciousness. In fact the arousal
of kundalini requires a similar state of consciousness to
OOBE.
4) Visualization -- This involves a type of extended
clairvoyance or picturing of remote surroundings. If you can
experience the feeling of being there, so much the better.
Although this technique is essentially mental projection, it
is possible to deepen mental projection into astral
projection through (you guessed it!) visualization. Crowley
taught a similar technique: a) visualize a closed door on a
blank wall, b) imagine a meditation symbol on
the door, c) visualize the door opening and yourself
entering through it. And J.H. Brennan describes similar
techniques wherein the door is shaped and colored like a
tattva, or alternately, a chosen tarrot card is visualized
and the student visualizes entering into it.
5) Guided imagery -- In many respects similar to
visualization. Except in this case, there is a guide (or
perhaps a voice on tape) directing you by means of
descriptions. As with visualization, mental rather than
astral projection is most likely.
6) Body of Light -- The old Golden Dawn technique.
Imagine a duplicate (mirror image) of yourself in front of
you. Then transfer your consciousness and sensation to the
duplicate ('body of light').
7) Strong willing -- Sort of like creative
visualization experienced in the present. That is you
express your strong desire to project through your willpower
while you visualize yourself doing it.
8) The Monroe techniques -- These are a series of
steps developed by Robert Monroe: a) relax the body,
b) enter the hypnogogic state, c) deepen the state,
d) develope the senstation of 'vibration', e) separate from
the body. The Monroe Institute has developed some cassete
tapes which are claimed to help in this.
9) Dream control -- This is one of the most
important techniques. It involves becoming aware that you
are dreaming. There are several ways to do this. Oliver Fox
says to look for descrepancies in the dream to realize you
are dreaming. One occult student I know of visualized a
white horse which he could ride wherever he wished to go.
After a time, when the horse appeared in his dreams it was
his cue that he was actually dreaming/projecting. Don Juan
tells Castaneda to look at his hands while he is dreaming.
And even the tarot and Cabala may also be used as dream
signals. Another method is to tell yourself each night as
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]